January 2002

The Caribbean may be coming one step closer to finally ridding itself of the scourge of the death penalty, Amnesty International said, at the conclusion of hearings by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (Privy Council) which will determine whether a decision of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal to the effect that the death penalty is unconstitutional will be upheld or quashed. Posted: 31 Jan 2002

As Arab Ministers of Interior conclude their meeting in Beirut, after agreeing on measures to combat "terrorism", and affirming implementation the Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism 1998, Amnesty International is again calling for the Convention, which it describes as "a serious threat to human rights", to be amended to conform with international human rights and humanitarian law. Posted: 31 Jan 2002

"Tunisian authorities should stop the practice of trying civilians before military courts where procedures fall short of international standards for fair trials", Amnesty International said today as three Tunisians were sentenced to heavy prison sentences before Tunis military tribunal on charges of belonging to a "terrorist organisation operating from abroad". Posted: 31 Jan 2002

Amnesty International welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka which on 25 January 2002 granted 150,000 Sri Lankan rupees (approximately US$ 1,600) compensation to Velu Arshadevi, a Tamil woman who was raped in Colombo in June 2001. Posted: 29 Jan 2002

"As the risk of fatalities increases in ongoing unrest within Australian immigration detention centres, it is clear that the ten-year-old policy of mandatory detention is failing and needs urgent review, "Amnesty International said today. Posted: 29 Jan 2002

As international pressure grows on Zimbabwe to accept the immediate deployment of observers for upcoming presidential elections, now less than 40 days away, Amnesty International calls upon the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and the European Union to insist that local monitors should also be involved in monitoring the polls. Posted: 29 Jan 2002

Today, as the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women convenes to review Sri Lanka's submission, Amnesty International published a new report detailing a marked increase in allegations of rape in custody by officials of the Sri Lankan army, police and navy over the past year. Posted: 28 Jan 2002

The formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate reports of human rights violations carried out by Tanzanian security forces during demonstrations in Zanzibar on 27 January 2001, if long overdue, is a welcome step, said Amnesty International today, in publishing its findings on human rights abuses during the demonstrations. Posted: 28 Jan 2002

Amnesty International UK is pressing Prime Minister Tony Blair to step in to help save a British man from execution in the United States, a sentence that may be carried out as early as March. Posted: 28 Jan 2002

The Russian Federation's government has failed consistently to protect the human rights of women and girls and break the cycle of violence, Amnesty International stated today as the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) reviews that country's fifth report. Posted: 25 Jan 2002

Ahead of the appeal hearing in the case of Arban Perlala on 28 January 2002, Amnesty International has written to Greece's Minister of Justice highlighting the organisation's concerns. Posted: 25 Jan 2002

After the latest arbitrary armed attack on Israelis Amnesty International condemned the attack and urged the Israeli authorities to change their policy. Posted: 25 Jan 2002

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch today expressed concern over plans agreed by the Vietnamese and Cambodian governments and the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to facilitate repatriation of indigenous Montagnard refugees who have fled from Viet Nam to Cambodia during the past year. Posted: 25 Jan 2002

Amid growing concern about the treatment of prisoners held at the Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba, Amnesty International wrote to the US authorities to request access to the detention camp. Posted: 23 Jan 2002

Amnesty International welcomed the release of Tibetan music scholar, Ngawang Choephel, but urged the Chinese authorities to go one step further by freeing all those jailed in Tibet in violation of their fundamental human rights. Posted: 22 Jan 2002

The pattern of attacks against politicians from the PT (workers' party) must be investigated, and security measures put in place to allow them to fulfil their work, Amnesty International said today following the killing of PT mayor Celso Daniel of Santo Andre, São Paulo state. Posted: 22 Jan 2002

"Human rights have been put at grave risk worldwide by governments' actions following the attacks of 11 September," Amnesty International said, in a new report published on 18th January 2002, the day that the United Nations Security Council began to review the work of its Counter-Terrorism Committee, chaired by the UK's ambassador to the UN, Jeremy Greenstock. Posted: 21 Jan 2002

An Amnesty International delegation will visit the Indonesian province of Papua from 19 January to 5 February 2002. Posted: 21 Jan 2002

Amnesty International is seriously disappointed that the statement issued by the European Union (EU) Presidency on 17 January 2002, fails to stress the urgency of the Colombian government fully implementing UN recommendations to confront the human rights crisis. Posted: 21 Jan 2002

"If the Special Court for Sierra Leone is to tackle impunity effectively and fairly and contribute to the peace and reconciliation process, the independence of the prosecutor must be assured and monitored, adequate and sustained funding must be guaranteed, and a clear relationship between the Special Court and Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) established,"Amnesty International said today, welcoming the agreement signed on last week between the UN and the Sierra Leone government regarding the establishment of the Special Court. Posted: 21 Jan 2002